Together Ahead
by Leebot
Summary: Post-LOK: An ongoing collection of short scenes between Korra and Asami, as they explore a relationship together. Random fluff/WAFF, written in collaboration with RaijinTora.
1. Visitor

Asami let out a soft groan as she let go of her pen. Her hand absolutely couldn't take any more paperwork tonight. Massaging it with her other hand, she got up from her chair and headed out of her office. As she headed back to her bedroom, she heard a faint, rhythmic grunting coming from behind the door. Apparently she wasn't the only one who couldn't quit working until it was too late.

Asami pushed the door open slowly, smiling as she saw her girlfriend - and new resident at the Sato Estate - engaged in airbending practice in front of the window. "I hope I'm not disturbing anything, Korra," she said.

Korra let her arms relax upon hearing a voice from the doorway. "No, not at all. Just practicing some forms before bed. I normally do this outside at the Temple, but since I'm not there anymore..." She bent down to pick her towel up off of the floor, wiping some beads of sweat off of her face. As she looked over at Asami, the Avatar noticed her massaging her hand. "Are you still working on those? I thought you were done by now."

"There's always more to do," Asami said with a half-hearted grin. "Even when I'm done one batch, more work is always around the corner. I just wish it didn't have to be paperwork so much of the time." Asami eyed Korra for a moment, wondering if the Avatar realized that she was in Asami's bedroom late at night right now. It was hard to say with Korra. Shaking her head and letting out a sigh, Asami headed toward her dresser and began to disrobe and change into her nightclothes. Even though they hadn't been intimate yet, she didn't really have anything to hide from Korra. "Though I suppose on the scale of what we've gone through," she said, continuing her train of thought, "I should consider myself lucky that paperwork is currently my biggest nemesis."

Korra found herself staring at Asami's wrist as her girlfriend spoke. She wanted to help take the pain away, but she wasn't sure if it was appropriate just yet. Once she realized what Asami was beginning to do, she was suddenly quite sure it wasn't appropriate just now. She immediately turned around, putting all her effort into gazing out the window while cooling off her now-blushing face. "Y-yea... I'm sure you'll get through it all eventually," she said, trying not to think about what was going on behind her.

Asami peered back at Korra over her shoulder, chuckling a bit at her girlfriend's sudden shyness. What exactly, Asami wondered, did Korra expect to be going on here as the night went on? Ah, but Korra probably hadn't thought that far ahead.

Once Asami was finished changing, she said, "You can turn around now, Korra." Asami stretched out her arms briefly, wincing a bit from the pain in her wrist. Hopefully it would be better in the morning.

"Huh? O-oh! Right!" Korra whirled around, grinning sheepishly at Asami. She had tried a few deep breaths to calm herself, though her pounding heart would have none of it. The Avatar chuckled. "I kinda, er, forgot that this is... your room. That I'm in. Right. Yea." Despite how flustered she'd gotten herself, she did make a mental note that Asami was still cradling her wrist. Yeah, she'd have to do something about that.

"Right," Asami said. She didn't suspect she'd get a much more intelligent answer from Korra if she asked why Korra was in her room right now, so she didn't bother. "Well, you're welcome to stay the night if you wish, Korra," she said, smiling at her girlfriend. "My bed's more than big enough for two."

It had been a subconscious thing that had brought Korra here. Lately she'd been spending quite a bit of her free time in Asami's room, sometimes even forgetting she was there and not her own room. Why her room had to be further down the hall and not here was beyond Korra. Something about the swimming pool and waterbending practice and… she wasn't really listening at the time.

But now her girlfriend had offered for her to stay here instead of walking all the way down the hall (that ridiculously long, long hall). Not thinking twice, Korra said, "That sounds good. But there's something I need to do first." Approaching the engineer, Korra grasped the older woman's hand with both of her own. She bent some water out of the canteen on her hip, applying it to Asami's wrist. She focused on it for a moment, infusing it with energy to help restore Asami's worn-out muscles. "I know you have a lot of work to do, but I think this should help."

Although it hadn't occurred to her to ask for any help, Asami certainly wasn't going to protest as Korra used her waterbending to soothe the pain in her wrist. She smiled and looked into her girlfriend's eyes. "Thank you, Korra," she said. After Korra finished with her healing and returned the water to her canteen, Asami took her girlfriend's hand in hers. She brought it slowly up to her lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it.

Happy to see Asami like this, Korra gazed tenderly at her, an expression she had never even shared with Mako all those years ago. "Anything for you, Asami." Her embarrassment from earlier faded away, Asami's kiss soothing all her worries in a way no waterbending ever could. With her hand still in Asami's, Korra leaned forward, placing a soft, gentle kiss on Asami's lips.


	2. Naga

Asami blinked, caught off-guard. Just as she'd run up to greet Korra, who'd just arrived at the estate riding in on Naga, the polar bear dog got to her first. Before she was able to reach Korra, Naga had managed to cover Asami's face with two huge, wet kisses, leaving the woman just a bit stunned.

"N-Naga!" Korra exclaimed, though she tried not to laugh. She grinned at Asami, patting her polar bear dog as she approached the woman. "Sorry about that. I probably should've warned you." Korra's smile turned a bit sheepish.

Asami narrowed her eyes, though a smile did cross her face. She would definitely have to find a towel soon. Was it just her imagination though, or was Naga being more affectionate with her lately? Hmm... perhaps it was flattering. "It's alright," Asami said, regaining her composure. "In any case, it's good to see you too, Naga." Asami reached out a hand and patted Naga's head. "Oh yes, and Korra." She winked at her girlfriend as she continued to pat Naga.

Rubbing the back of her neck, Korra eventually put words to her thoughts. "Well... when I mentioned we were going to see you, Naga got a little too excited. She kinda overwhelmed me too." Korra chuckled. "I almost fell off when she burst down the road!"

"Oh really?" Asami said, her smile spreading just a bit. "I do wonder what might be causing her so much excitement. Is she hoping to race against one of my cars again? Or does she just want to see me do this..." Asami quickly leaned in and planted a kiss on Korra's cheek.

Korra's cheek filled with a light blush at the sudden kiss. At the sight of this, Naga whined happily, her tail wagging in excitement. She nuzzled them both affectionately. "Huh. I don't think she's ever done this before," Korra said.

Asami raised an eyebrow. "Even with Mako?" she said. If Naga hadn't gotten like this with Mako, it wasn't simply a relationship thing. Asami hadn't thought she'd done much to bond with the polar bear dog, but Naga certainly did seem to be more affectionate with Asami since she and Korra had started dating.

Shaking her head, Korra watched as Naga proceeded to hop around, leaning down on her forelegs. She couldn't help but smile, reminded of how Naga had done this as a puppy when she was in a playful mood. "No. Never. Mako didn't get that sort of attention with Naga. She was never this... happy." The Avatar looked perplexed, yet there was a look of adoration in her eyes as her animal companion reflected the excitement and joy she herself felt inside.

"Hmm..." Asami couldn't help but smile a little as she watched Naga. It was really quite adorable, seeing such a large animal acting so child-like. "Um, do you think she wants to play?" she said.

"Maybe. But she doesn't do this to me when she wants to play. Usually she just brings me a toy and sits there patiently. Or sometimes she'll poke at my hand with her nose, if she wants me to use my bending to play with her."

Asami eyed Naga for a moment. There was something about the way she was leaning down on her forelegs. After a minute, it finally clicked in Asami's mind. She stepped forward, moving to Naga's side, and she said, "Do you want to give me a ride, Naga, is that it?"

Naga yipped, trying to tell Asami that was pretty much what she intended. Her gaze went to Korra, waiting to see if her human companion would take the hint. The Avatar laughed. "I think you nailed it." Approaching her Polar Bear Dog, she climbed up once again, then offered her hand to Asami. "What d'you say, Asami? Wanna go for a ride?"

Asami nodded. "I think that sounds like a great idea." She took Korra's hand, gracefully pulling herself up and sitting down behind her girlfriend. "After your aborted attempt to learn to drive three years ago, I think it's about time you show me what you can really do."

"H-hey, no need to remind me," Korra retorted, a blush filling her cheeks as she remembered that incident. Gaining confidence and putting that memory aside, she glanced back to her girlfriend. "You might want to hold on to me, and not just because I enjoy the contact," she said with a smirk. Grabbing the reins, she leaned forward just a bit. "Alright Naga, why don't you show Asami your favorite spot in the city? Go!"

After the driving incident, Asami wasn't going to ask questions about the need to hold on. She wrapped her arms around Korra and prepared herself as Naga shot off. The polar bear dog had apparently been coiled like a spring, and he reached top speed in a matter of moments. Naga wasn't as fast as a Satomobile, but something about her added to the experience. Perhaps it was her gait, or feeling the muscles move beneath Asami's legs, or simply the knowledge that it was a living creature - a friend at that - taking them for this ride. Asami couldn't help but grin widely as Naga took her and Korra on a ride through the city.

Feeling Asami tighten her grip around her waist caused her heart to flutter. Regardless of the reason, Korra did in fact enjoy the contact. She helped guide Naga through the city, avoiding traffic and busy intersections, but mostly let the polar bear dog find her own way. Naga moved almost effortlessly to their destination, sometimes seeming to anticipate Korra's few commands even before she gave them.

As they rode, Korra recalled how excited she'd been to see the streets of Republic City for the first time, and wondered if this was giving Asami that same experience. It would give her a fresh perspective, if anything. When they stopped at a traffic signal, Korra turned back to Asami and said, "So how is it so far?"

Once she'd gotten used to the ride, Asami allowed herself a moment to look around. She'd laid out the plans for half the streets in Republic City, but she didn't often take the time to simply experience the view from them. It really was something to see, particularly as they passed close to the spirit wilds. "Quite lovely," Asami said in response to Korra's question. She gave her girlfriend a quick squeeze within her arms. "I think I can now safely say you've redeemed yourself for the driving incident three years ago."

Korra let out a chuckle. "Good," she said. As the traffic signal changed, she gave Naga the signal to get moving again. It wasn't long until they reached their destination: Avatar Korra Park, formerly Republic City Park. Naga came to a stop near the base of the statue of Korra at the center of the park, looking up at it happily as she lowered her rear legs to let the Avatar and her girlfriend climb off. "I have to admit, it's a bit embarrassing having a statue to myself here, but Naga loves it," Korra said. "And I guess it is flattering."

"I should hope so," Asami said. "It was quite the fight the get President Raiko to approve it, even after you helped clean up the mess with the Red Lotus and I offered to fund it myself. Which, by the way, raises the question: What exactly does a woman need to do get a 'thank you' from the Avatar?" Asami smirked a bit as she looked over at Korra, making sure her expression made clear she wasn't really complaining.

Korra gasped, turning to Asami. "Wait, that was you? Wow, I didn't know! Nobody would tell me who it was." She groaned, feeling embarrassed - and perhaps a little guilty - that she hadn't tried harder to find about the statue. "But… well, thank you. It looks amazing! I… um, well I really don't know what to say when I just found out my girlfriend built a statue of me as tall as Aang's."

Asami let out a light laugh, her eyes meeting Korra's. "Well, you deserve far more than this," she said. "That was true even when I had this commissioned, but even more so now. People truly didn't appreciate how much you'd done for the world, but this monument, and the museum in the base, did seem to help get them to reflect. "

Now that she knew who had it done, a sense of pride filled her chest. "I already have far more than the statue," Korra said softly, in a voice only Asami would hear. One of her hands grasped Asami's and gave it a quick squeeze. "Thank you, Asami." Asami gently squeezed her girlfriend's hand back. Nothing more needed to be said right now.


	3. Compassion

**Together Ahead**

**Story 3:** Compassion

**Teaser:** What's troubling Korra so much this late at night that she'd give up time in bed with Asami?

X-X-X

Something felt off. Everything had been so nice when Asami had fallen asleep. Korra had dragged her away from her desk, and tempted her into bed with the prospect of some sweet cuddle-time, and Asami had drifted off to sleep with a huge smile on her face. But right now, she felt that... Hmm. Where was Korra?

The first time she'd woken up, Korra had retrieved Asami from piles of paperwork to the comforts of bed and sleep. The second time? Images and visions of past battles, fighting to control her. Korra had to carefully remove herself from Asami, replacing the space she left with her pillow, hoping to return shortly. The Avatar didn't go far. Finding a space on the floor, she took a seat, lightly pressed her fists together, and took a deep breath. If the images and memories wanted to resurface, then it was time to meditate on them once more.

Asami's eyes slowly peeled open. Korra was definitely gone from the bed. Her heart fell just a bit at this, but she pushed any worrisome thoughts from her mind. Korra had a good reason; she was sure of that. The room was still pretty dark, so it wasn't morning yet. Perhaps Korra just had to use the washroom in the middle of the night. Pulling a few blankets up around Korra's pillow to better fill the new void in front of her chest, Asami closed her eyes and decided to give her girlfriend some time to return.

Eventually though, it dawned on Asami that Korra was taking far too long for simply using the washroom. Had she gone back to her own room? It was possible, but it didn't seem likely. It was probably worth Asami checking to see what was up, just in case. Asami untangled herself from the blankets and shifted her legs over the side of the bed, then sat up. As she did, she caught sight of Korra sitting on the floor nearby, meditating.

_Focus on what happened. Acknowledge that you couldn't control the outcome. Learn to accept what was lost._ Korra paced herself through each memory, feeling the emotions swirl through her and not letting them throw her off balance. She redirected them, channeling her strength by staying calm. A blanket of warmth suddenly washed over her. Korra felt extremely peaceful. The last of those memories began to fade into the distance, azure eyes slowly blinking open, and she became aware of where she was again. Getting to her feet, Korra turned around with intentions of getting back into bed for sleep, when she spotted one Asami Sato sitting up, watching her. "Oh, um, did I wake you?" she said.

Asami shook her head slowly. "Not exactly. Though I think the lack of you might have awoken me. But don't worry about it, Korra." Asami reached a hand out to Korra, beckoning her girlfriend to rejoin her in bed. "May I ask though, what were you meditating on?"

"My past," she said as she took a seat on the bed, taking Asami's hand in her own and giving it a squeeze. "The visions surface sometimes, but I think they're getting less frequent now. I can get through them a lot easier." She offered her girlfriend a small smile.

Asami nodded at this. She gave Korra's hand a soft squeeze. "Do you want to talk about it?" she said. She looked over into Korra's eyes, giving her girlfriend a supportive smile. Korra looked like she was doing alright now, but there did seem to be some barely-concealed vulnerability in her features.

In most situations, Korra probably have turned that offer down. But she knew where she was and who she was with, and it provided a sense of safety and comfort that she couldn't get anywhere else. "I had a dream about Kuvira. About the battle in Republic City, and our confrontation in the Spirit Wilds, leading up to the new Spirit Portal. I began to wonder if punishing her would do more harm than good. Then my past encounters began resurfacing. I couldn't sleep through that. So I meditated on them."

"I see..." Asami said. She took a slow breath, then reached her free hand out to take Korra's other hand in hers. She held both of the Avatar's hands as she looked into Korra's eyes. "You really are a compassionate person, Korra. It's one of the things I love most about you. I honestly doubt I could be nearly as compassionate towards Kuvira if I were in your place."

Her eyes held a hint of sadness underneath the calm demeanor she wore. "It's something I had to learn," Korra said. "If I had been the same person I was when I came to Republic City and fought Kuvira, I wouldn't have overcome all those things that made me into a better person. And I wouldn't have been able to help Kuvira. I don't think it's right that she should be locked away. She was only doing right by her country when no one else would. And in that quest for unity, she became lost in it." Her hands squeezed Asami's. "When we were in the Spirit World, I didn't see Kuvira as the Great Uniter, or even an enemy. I saw a lost little girl who was trying to reunite her family in any way she could."

Asami was silent for a long while. She had to let her gaze drop, looking downward. She took a few deep breaths before she finally spoke. "If Kuvira had stopped with the Earth Kingdom, I might be able to agree with you, Korra. But she didn't. She had to attack Republic City as well, where few people living there now were even alive when it was last Earth Kingdom territory. Do you have any idea how many people died because of that decision?" Asami's eyes closed, tears pushing their way outward at the thought of her father's sacrifice to defend Republic City.

Korra's heart sank at this realization, but also because of who else was lost in that battle. "I do, and I can't ever forget that. I'm sorry Asami." Korra pulled Asami to her, removing her hands from her girlfriend's in order to wrap her arms around the older woman's waist. She rested her chin on Asami's shoulder. "I don't expect you to ever agree with me. I know how much he meant to you."

Asami's body tensed up. Korra's words helped a little, but not enough. "Korra..." she said. She debated for a long while on whether or not to speak her mind. Was this really worth it? ...Yes. Korra was the Avatar. She had to be the champion of all people, not just those she knew. Asami shook her head and pulled back. "I'm sorry, Korra. It's not just about my father. I know you feel compassion for Kuvira, because you know enough about her to understand her... but what about the people who died because of her? You may not know them, but they deserve compassion just as much. And I don't know if it's truly being compassionate toward them if the person responsible for their deaths isn't punished."

This was where things got difficult for Korra. Asami had some very valid points, and Korra had to acknowledge them. But Korra was only one person, even as the Avatar, and so she could only do so much before it started to stretch her ability to offer what she could too thin. Looking Asami directly in the eyes, Korra said, "You're right. I do need to be compassionate to them. But I can't do everything, Asami. Yet I can't discount their lives, because then I would be turning away from who they were." She paused for a moment, contemplating her next approach. Her thoughts were getting pretty muddled, and she wasn't really sure if she was making sense. "When I meditate on my past memories, I try to get to the root cause of each event. It helps me understand. If I don't help the central reason of what happened here, I cannot help everyone else that was affected."

Asami closed her eyes for a minute. "Maybe I can help, then," she said at last. This was going to be tough, but it needed to be said. She opened her eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "At the time he died, Korra, I loved my father, and I forgave him for the ways he wronged me, even including the fact that he once tried to kill me. But it's not my position to forgive him for how he wronged everyone else. Because of his support for the Equalists, they were able to cause many more deaths than they otherwise could. Just like you with Kuvira, I understand him and how he got to where he was. But that understanding doesn't mean he shouldn't be punished for what he did.

"In the end, if he were alive now..." Asami said. She closed her eyes again, but tears still managed to push their way past her closed eyelids as she spoke, "...if he hadn't been asked to help defend Republic City, and didn't die for it... then as much as I hate it, it would be right for him to still be in prison. His crimes weren't just against me, and Kuvira's crimes weren't just against her family."

This time, she understood. Korra sighed softly. "When you put it that way... I guess I just don't know what to do. I feel like helping Kuvira would bring some kind of peace... but maybe that would just be more for myself and not exactly for those she wronged." She groaned in frustration. "I don't really know what to do." One thing was for certain: she absolutely hated seeing Asami cry. Korra brought her hands up and gently wiped those tears away, trying to provide some kind of comfort to her girlfriend.

Asami nodded weakly. "It's... it's alright, Korra. You may be the Avatar, but you're still just one person. No one expects you to have all the answers. The world is too large for even you to solve it all. So..." Asami opened her eyes now, gazing back at Korra. She felt her love's hand cup her cheek, and she leaned into it. "Let's figure it out together. You, me... the rest of the world if needed. It's our problem, not just yours."

A sense of relief washed over Korra. Over the years she'd learned to rely more and more on Asami for things even she didn't understand. Just knowing her girlfriend had her back took some of the weight off her shoulders. A small smile made its way to her lips and, feeling bold, she leaned forward and gently pressed her lips against Asami's. It was comforting, reassuring, and it was loving, all wrapped up in one.

Asami let out a soft whimper as she felt Korra's lips touch hers. Her eyes fell closed again, and she decided to simply let herself melt. With all the complications in the world, it was so amazing to know that one thing was finally, absolutely right.

Asami's arms slipped around Korra's back. She held Korra gently, and she pushed forward into the kiss. Her lips opened up just a bit, moving slowly against Korra's, feeling them, tasting them. Yes. This was right.

A sense of peace washed over Korra as easily as air in her lungs. Never had she felt so happy and complete. And she felt a shared strength through their connected lips, calming the both of them. Korra made a mental note to try this a little more frequently. At last she withdrew, blue eyes meeting green. "I love you, Asami," she said, feeling unbridled warmth fill her chest.

Pure happiness spread across Asami's face as she heard these words. The warmth in her chest was almost unbearable. She reached her hands down to take Korra's. She gave them a soft squeeze as she replied, "I love you too, Korra."

Lacing their fingers together, Korra squeezed Asami's hands back. Unable to tear herself away from her love, her smile grew into a grin, and eventually she started laughing. Seeing that quizzical look on her girlfriend's face, Korra decided to humor her. "That smile of yours is really contagious~"

At this, Asami let out a laugh as well. "As is your laughter," she said once her laughs had calmed down a bit. She gave Korra another smile, and then said, "Would you like to join me in bed once more?"

Korra nodded, right before she let out a yawn. "I think I like that idea." There was no hesitation; Korra wasn't going to even consider leaving now. This was where she was most comfortable.

Asami smiled warmly at her girlfriend. She leaned forward to plant a quick kiss on Korra's cheek, then moved back. She lay back down on the bed, making room for Korra to join, and then reached out a hand to her love.

Korra never lost eye contact with Asami, even as she was getting back under the blanket. She let out a soft hum as Asami wrapped her arms around her and pulled her closer. "Thanks for _-yawn-_ letting me stay here."

Asami couldn't help but smile at this cute display from Korra. "I wouldn't have it any other way," she said. She leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on the tip of Korra's nose. "Goodnight, Korra. Sleep well."


End file.
